Drinking straws capable of providing entertaining sound or visual effects can provide a pleasant distraction for both adults and children. Prior art novelty straws have included straws designed to mechanically produce sounds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,624 discloses a straw having an integrally formed reed in one end so that the straw may be used as a musical instrument. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,835 discloses another sound producing straw that has a sound track in the form of embossed ridges on the outside of the straw. The ridges on the straw cooperate with tabs on a lid of a beverage container to produce sounds when the straw is moved up or down through the beverage lid. Although these straws can produce sounds, they do not automatically generate sounds in response to a liquid passing through the straw.
One prior art device that does automatically generate sounds when a liquid passes through the straw utilizes a battery-powered circuit. The circuit in this device includes two contacts that penetrate a thick, frangible plastic tube. Liquid passing through the tube and touching the two contacts completes the battery-powered circuit and causes the device to play a group of tones. The circuit is encased in a sealed housing attached to the outside of the tube. While this device does automatically generate sounds in response to drinking through the straw, it has several drawbacks. One drawback is that it is difficult to clean. The sealed housing is not removable and so the device continuously plays a tune while being washed. This can cause the battery to drain prematurely. Also, the device should not be cleaned in hot water because the glue or wax around the contacts may leak and allow water through the holes in the tube made by the two contacts. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved novelty drinking straw.